BARCELONA, Spain: Residents of Barcelona have devised a novel way to protest the presence of tourists in their city. Using a cheap plastic water gun, they spray tourists, enjoying their drinks, with water.

This odd act is part of a growing trend in Spain, where some locals feel that too many tourists are taking over their neighborhoods and making life harder for residents.

So, how did the water gun become a protest symbol?

It all started in July of last year. A small left-wing activist group in Barcelona, called the Neighborhood Assembly for Tourism Degrowth, held a rally to protest the growing tourism industry. It was a hot day, so some people brought water guns to cool off and play around. Adriana Coten, one of the organizers, said the water guns were meant as a joke, but after photos and videos of tourists getting sprayed spread online, the idea took off.

Since then, protesters have used water guns in other events. In April, the same group stopped a tour bus in the city. And on a recent Sunday, about a thousand people marched through a popular shopping area in Barcelona. Police stopped them from reaching the famous Sagrada Familia church. Along the way, some marchers lightly sprayed tourists with water while shouting slogans like "One more tourist, one less resident!" They also left protest stickers on hotel doors and café tables, showing a water gun and the message "Tourist Go Home!"

Not all protesters carried water guns, and most who did were spraying water into the air or at each other. One father even had his baby strapped to his chest while holding a water gun. Outside of these protests, most locals are not involved in this kind of activity. Many people in Barcelona still support tourism because it helps the city's economy.

Can these water guns change anything? That depends on who you ask. One protester, Lourdes Sánchez, said the water guns aren't meant to hurt anyone but are a way to show frustration. She said, "We are tired of our country turning into a theme park." Another protester admitted the goal was "to bother the tourists a bit."

Some tourists, like 46-year-old architect Laurens Schocher, didn't spray anyone but carried a water gun to draw attention to the cause. Others, like a tourist from Taiwan named Nora Tsai, were surprised and a little scared after being sprayed. Despite the experience, she said, "I still like Barcelona. I have met a lot of kind people."